This magnetic manipulation in a microfluidic device may be used for instance for mixing magnetic particles in the biological sample, for flowing magnetic particles according to a specific path in the microfluidic device or for actuating magnetic particles in view of a bonding with a sensing surface of the microfluidic device.
In latter case, the assembly of the microfluidic device and the processing device can be a biosensor if it further comprises a detector able to detect magnetic particles bound to the sensing surface. Such biosensors using magnetic particles are known for rapid and sensitive diagnostics and may be designed to detect biological targets labeled with these magnetic particles or with other types of labels (fluorescence, dyes, etc.) bound to the magnetic particles. The performance of a magnetic particle assay in the detection of a target molecule is highly dependent upon the magnetic protocol that is used by the magnetic supplier to control the motion of the particles during the assay.
Typically, the magnetic protocol is programmed into the processing device prior to performing the magnetic manipulation.
If one changes one or more of the above product characteristics (e.g. target molecule, assay type, assay condition, sample type and the like), it is preferable that the user is able to modify the magnetic protocol so as to maximize the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the measurements according to said changes of products characteristics.
Therefore the processing device could be provided with a user interface to perform this operation.
These modifications slow-down the use of the system or biosensor and a risk of error increases, which means a low ease-of-use and low fail-safe capabilities.